E. J. Josey Scholarship for Minorities in Library Science
Interested applicants should complete the pertinent section in your application for admission on Apply Yourself.
E. J. Josey Scholarship for minorities provides a one-time $3,000 tuition scholarship to an African‐American student with potential for academic excellence and leadership in the profession.
I. Intent of Scholarship
The E.J. Josey Scholarship honors the lifelong work of Dr. E.J. Josey, Professor Emeritus for the Library and Information Science Program, to promote African Americans in librarianship, to eradicate racial discrimination from libraries and to provide equal opportunities for librarians who are African American. As the founder of the Black Caucus of the American Librarian Association (ALA), it was Professor Josey’s determination to eliminate discrimination and bigotry in the field of librarianship as well as in state and national professional associations.
Professor Josey was not only an activist on behalf of librarians who are minorities, but also a voice for librarians of all races. As the co-sponsor of the resolution for the establishment of the Committee on the Status of Women in the American Library Association, he was one of the male library leaders who worked on behalf of women in the profession. Not only was Professor Josey’s advocacy role reflected in his activism, it was highlighted in his writing and research published in many books and journal articles.
The E.J. Josey Scholarship is awarded annually, usually to a student beginning study in the Fall Term, and the amount of the award varies.
II. Guidelines for Selection
The Committee will review the applications for the E.J. Josey Scholarship and make its recommendations to the Chair of the Program. The scholarship for a given year is not granted if the Committee determines that there is no eligible candidate. Preference will be given to a student who is African American.
Qualifications:
- Be a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident;
- Be accepted into the MLIS program;
- Be a member of an under-represented group;
- Demonstrate high academic achievement; and
- Demonstrate the potential for academic excellence and leadership in the profession.
If you have already submitted your application for admission, please contact us at sisinq@sis.pitt.edu and let us know that you’re interested in being considered for this opportunity or fill out this form.
Current students at the School of Information Sciences, please login to the SIS Intranet to explore your financial support options.
